Rtconnect

A Chaebol Heiress' Unpredictable Journey

This show is wild from the start. The plot isn’t exactly new—rich chaebol FL gets sent abroad because her family is fighting over money that should be hers. Then we got the poor lawyer ML who gets dragged into the mess and ends up helping her.

Now, the MO family? Straight-up insane. They’re filthy rich and have this elite security team that basically acts like 24/7 CCTV, covering up their mess. The dad is trash—cheats, has mistresses, and keeps collecting kids like trophies. The first son? Useless. The second son? Seems decent but turns out to be secretly gay. The sister-in-law? Just existing. Then there’s the second mistress, this over-the-top actress who’s straight-up annoying. She’s the youngest son’s mom, and honestly, he and the grandfather are the only normal ones in this circus—along with FL.

ML starts off annoying—dude’s a lawyer but acts without thinking half the time. Luckily, he gets better as the story goes.

Despite the crazy family, the show is actually good. The plot twist at the end? Didn’t see it coming. Music? Absolute fire.

Two top-tier scenes:

The family table scenes – Watching them roast each other was chef’s kiss.
Mo Seok Hee in all red at the funeral of Picasso – A literal fish. That fish got a grander funeral than the grandpa. Iconic.
Definitely rewatchable. The actors did a solid job, and the leads have seriously improved since their past roles. Would 100% recommend.

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One of the most exciting zombie series I’ve ever watched!

The production and makeup are outstanding, creating a vivid and realistic zombie apocalypse. The plot, set in a high school with students fighting for survival, feels fresh and unique. It’s fascinating to see how teenagers might respond in such a dire situation. It’s also realistic that their reactions differ from how adults might handle things, which I think explains why some viewers were frustrated with certain characters' choices.

The acting is solid, and the cast shows great potential. While I’m not familiar with most of the actors, it’s clear some have acting experience. The actor who played Cheong-san seems like a former child star. Meanwhile, the actors portraying On-jo, Nam-ra, and Su-hyeok were new faces for me, but they delivered impressive performances. I’m excited to see where their careers go from here.

The intro was also well-crafted and immediately pulled me in. I’m eagerly awaiting Season 2! However, there are some things I wish the writers had explored more, like a face-off between Gwi-nam and the bullied girl who turned into a zombie—it felt like a highly anticipated moment that never happened. Additionally, I’d love to see more interactions between the students and the adults in the next season.

Overall, this series is a must-watch, and I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds in the future!

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Moving Experience!

I've reached the end of this series, and what a ride it has been! From start to finish, it was a truly moving experience. The characters are fantastic, and the acting is superb, especially by Han Hyo Joo, who clearly brings a veteran touch to her role. Hae Soo's dad is an absolute gem—a lovable character who brings warmth to every scene.

Their individual stories and the intertwining stories of the three children were brilliantly portrayed, contributing to the overall greatness of the series.

There's something about the layers in each episode that make it worth revisiting. Overall, this series has left a lasting impression on me. It's not just a show; it's an emotional journey that I've completed, and I'm grateful for the experience.

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Dark Justice: Where Demons Meet the Law!

This series is one of the best I’ve watched in the second half of 2024. I didn’t expect to see Park Shin-hye in a role like this, so I was both surprised and delighted. Known mostly for her dramatic and romantic roles, it was exciting to see her in an action-focused series again—something she’s previously done in Doctors and Sisyphus: The Myth. The plot is unique too, instantly becoming one of my favorites.

The story follows Kang Bitna, a judge possessed by a demon named Justitia. As punishment, Justitia is tasked with hunting down unrepentant sinners who have caused others’ deaths, ultimately sending them to Hell. Along the way, Bitna encounters Han Daon, a detective with a different view of justice, and their chemistry adds a great layer to the plot.

There’s a lot to appreciate in this series:

- It’s satisfying to watch Bitna’s creative methods of punishing sinners, making them feel their victims' pain before their end.
- While there isn’t much romance, the chemistry between Bitna and Daon is undeniable.
- The cast’s performances are excellent, with the actress playing Gremory standing out among the supporting roles.
- The effects are impressive and well-executed.
- The pacing keeps the story engaging, and the music adds an immersive, intense atmosphere.

On the downside, there are a few areas where I had higher expectations:

- I expected more from Justitia’s demon enemies. While Paimon had a strong fight scene, Satan—being second in command—didn’t put up much of a challenge, which felt anticlimactic given Justitia’s rank.
- The “Nightmare Curse” by Satan in episodes 13 and 14 left some confusion, making viewers question if Bitna was still trapped in a nightmare.
- Bael’s role felt underdeveloped. As the one giving orders, I was hoping for a more complex twist around his character.

Overall, this series is absolutely worth watching (and rewatching), especially for those mature enough to handle the darker themes and intense action scenes.

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Why This Series Didn’t Work for Me

I primarily watched this series because of the lead actors and my curiosity about this Chinese adaptation of the Thai movie Crazy Little Thing Called Love, which I loved for its freshness and perfection. I was interested to see how they would expand a movie into a series format.

While I must commend the cast for their performances, I believe some stories are better suited as films rather than extended series. The pacing felt off, particularly with how long it took to show Miao Miao's transformation and beauty, causing the plot to drag. I understand that this is a series, and adapting a two-hour movie into a longer format presents challenges, but I found myself losing interest. I ended up skipping through many scenes, only watching the parts I enjoyed, and ultimately decided to drop the series altogether.

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Frustrating Watch!

This series had a lot of potential based on the synopsis and visuals, but it ended up being frustrating to watch. The story revolves around Princess Rong Le of Western Qi, who gets amnesia and is forced to marry Prince Zongzheng Wu You for political reasons. However, Wu You rejects her, and she disguises herself as Manyao to find a book that could help her nation. But then there are so many mistaken identities, lies, and constant scheming that it becomes hard to follow.

The twist, that Rong Le isn’t actually the princess but the daughter of the book's creator. The title doesn't really fit either, except for a moment when her hair turns white after she stabs Wu You while poisoned.

The characters are complicated in a frustrating way. Wu You is traumatic and phobic about touching women, but then he starts pursuing Rong Le like he's entitled. Rong Le starts as a strong character, but she quickly becomes a damsel in distress, making a mess of her life. The acting is fine but nothing special. The music is forgettable.

I ended up dropping the series halfway through because it just became too frustrating. I skipped a lot of scenes to get through it, and I don't think I’ll be finishing it anytime soon. Overall, the series had potential, but the writers didn’t know how to develop the characters properly, leaving it as a major letdown.

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A Satisfying and Inevitable Ending!

The third and final season of Penthouse, in my opinion, serves as a fitting conclusion for all the characters in the series. Despite their actions, driven by the desire for the betterment of their children, the characters' deeds are, in essence, irredeemable. While some may argue that the two mothers should have survived, I find the collective demise to be a more acceptable ending. The toll of their actions has left them physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.

The conclusion of the students/children's arcs is also well-executed, offering significant character developments and delivering just outcomes, even considering the involvement of other characters in crimes such as murder and arson. This trilogy holds a special place in my heart, and I anticipate revisiting it whenever I seek a touch of complexity in my drama list.

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Wasted!

This series initially had great potential with an intriguing plot—characters going back in time whenever the leads die—but as the story progressed, it began to lose its charm. The premise itself is interesting, but it feels like the writer either lost track of the story's direction or introduced key elements prematurely. For me, the pacing felt dragged, and the focus started to deviate from the core mystery.

Given that the jade allows them to turn back time, it would have been more logical for the leads to actively seek answers together. Instead, the drama prioritizes their love story, which could have developed naturally while they searched for clues. Unfortunately, it leaned into a cliché trope where they hid their identities, leading to unnecessary misunderstandings.

With only 24 episodes, each lasting about 40 minutes, the writer should have maximized the runtime to highlight the plot instead of overly focusing on romance. The chemistry between the leads was already apparent; there was no need to overdo it.

As for the acting and casting, the actors are unfamiliar faces to me, and their performances didn’t leave a strong impression. Both the characters and their portrayal felt frustrating at times—especially the female lead, who comes across as hypocritical for getting angry at the male lead for lying about his identity when she did the exact same thing. The male lead had his flaws too, misleading the female lead into liking his alternate identity.

Overall, this series isn’t worth the watch. The underwhelming acting, annoying character traits, and a meandering storyline make it feel like a waste of time.

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Patiently Explored But Not My Cup of Tea

After investing time in the first two episodes, I find it necessary to convey my sincere impression of the series—it's moving at a pace that feels a bit sluggish for my personal taste. While I recognize the essential groundwork required to unfold a complex storyline, and the narrative potential is undoubtedly present, I'm compelled to admit that, for now, it's not quite my cup of tea.

I genuinely appreciate the effort poured into crafting the story, and I might consider revisiting it someday, should a particular aspect pique my interest. However, as of now, I've decided to drop the series from my watchlist. While the story is undeniably there, it hasn't resonated with me in a way that compels me to continue. I acknowledge that preferences vary, and this may well be a matter of personal taste.

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Why I’m Glad I Watched This Series!

I was hesitant to watch this series with Esther Yu because it seemed similar to her past works like Love Between Fairy and Devil and Sword and Fairy 6. However, after enjoying her role in Journey to You, I decided to give it a try, even though I wasn't sure if I'd be in the right mood. The story didn’t catch my attention at first because it reminded me of other shows with a similar plot, like The Romance of Tiger and Rose with Zhao Lusi. In both, the female lead gets pulled into a story where she ends up in the role of the antagonist. Because of that, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but I’m glad I watched it.

The series took a fresh approach, and I actually found it more fun than Tiger and Rose, even though they share a similar storyline. I really enjoyed how Ling Miao Miao tried to make Ziqi fall for her, with the fun idea of a “favorability percentage” going from -200% to 100%. It was a creative twist. The main leads definitely had great chemistry. I’ve seen them together in Moonlight, so I knew their dynamic would be good.

I didn’t pay much attention to the second couple’s story and ended up skipping their parts. But the actors still did a great job, especially Ding Yuxi in the emotional scenes. The music and post-production were good too. While the cinematography and effects sometimes looked cheap, they got better as the series went on.

I liked how the modern world and the game world were connected. However, some things were unclear, like when Miao Miao is under the bracelet’s spell. The system didn’t seem to interact with her, even though she’s a player, not an NPC. That was a little confusing. Despite these small issues, the show is definitely worth watching again!

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